100 years ago in The Monroe Evening News

Tuesday

The Monroe News features headlines from 100 years past in a monthly column.

“City Items” was a column in The Monroe Evening News, forerunner of The Monroe News. Here are actual news items as they appeared in the paper in June 1917.

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PATRIOTIC RALLY MONDAY EVENING — A great Patriotic rally will be held Monday evening, June3, at the Chamber of Commerce when Professor Burton L. Rockwood, educator, orator and humorist, will give an address on the subject “Protecting the Home Lines.”

His address will be illustrated by powerful stereopticon and motion pictures, showing scenes of Uncle Sam’s army and navy activities.

Professor Rockwood has been detailed by the prohibition forces who are working to secure war prohibition to the present session of Congress and ratification of the prohibition federal amendment.

Admission will be free, but children will not be admitted unless accompanied by their parents.

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22 FOOT BALL BOYS “WITH THE COLORS” — Twenty-two boys of Monroe High School, who at some time during the last five years have been members of Monroe High School’s football team, are present “ with the colors” or have made application to enlist in the service of their country. Coach A. R. DePue has completed a list of the boys who are as follows: Lieutenant Douglas Keeney, Lieutenant Roger Stevens, Captain Tracy Southworth, Lieutenant W.C. Sterling, Clarence Clayman, Andrew Martin, Harold Nadeau, Winfred Hubbard, Oswald Meier, Robert Meier, Roy Meyers, Joseph Sterling, Harold Lauer, Bradley Dewey, Arnold Renner, Howard Seymour, Raymond Justin, Edward Gagnon, Rerris Jones, Stanley Newcomer, Wm. Scmidt and Francis Fleure.

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LIEUTENANT IN FRANCE DECLARES MONROE’S HIGHWAYS ARE “ASPHALT BOULEVARDS” IN COMPARISON — Worse roads than the stretch between Rockwood and Monroe have been found.

Lieutenant Ray T. Middleton commanding a truck train on the western front (Somewhere in France) writes in a letter to his friend W. C. Little, representative of the Bearings Company of America and chairman of the S. A. E. Membership committee, with offices in the Ford building that the road between Rockwood and Monroe is an asphalt boulevard compared to some of the roads over which he has piloted his truck train in the zone of advance. He also writes that he wishes a few Detroiters might have been with him on some of his trips so that they might better appreciate present comforts.

The next time you drive over the above mentioned road and start losing our temper, just think of this article and say to yourself, “Well, there are worse roads than this.”

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DISMANTLING OLD PLANT — The Detroit Edison company have sold the entire equipment of the old power plant on East First street to McChol and Company of Cleveland.

The machinery has been removed and the company will start dismantling the plant Monday. The property was deeded back to the city by the Edison company last December. The city will probably use the spot for a playground.

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MUST TAKE OUT LICENSE — Persons operating poolrooms, dealers in cigarettes and taxi cab drivers who have not taken out their license must do so at once said Chief of Police Frankhouse this morning. The licenses are supposed to be taken out the first Monday in June.

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LIEUTENANT GOLDEN TO SPEAK — Lieutenant Oliver Golden who is home on furlough from Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois, will speak at the Family Theatre Thursday evening, the opening night of Ambassador Gerard picture, “My Four Years in Germany.”

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SIXTY GALLONS DESTROYED — Sixty gallons of booze which was confiscated in the recent raids was destroyed by Sheriff Cronenwett in the yard back of the jail. The sixty gallons represented about five hundred dollars.

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AUTO RACES — Auto races will be held in this city Sunday, June 9th. Five events will take place with ten large cars. The races will be held the Monroe driving park.

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BOOZE SMUGGLERS — Charged with carrying liquor into the state Louis Papa of Monroe; Nieadice Zorzen of Detroit, and Isaac Beverly, of Petersburg were nabbed here last night and locked up in the county jail. The men were in police court this morning before Judge Danz and were bound over to the circuit court as usual.

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LAND CONVENTION FOR NEXT YEAR — The Ladies Workmen society No. 2, of Monroe, landed the state convention of the Ladies Workmen Bond, for this city for next year, which will be held the first week in June. The state convention closed in Detroit on Thursday. The convention will bring about two hundred delegates to this city.

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NEW LAW — A new law has been recently passed prohibiting threshing machines to travel reward roads as the lugs are cutting the roads. The only way they can be allowed on the roads is by placing planks or by having removable lugs.

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LARGE AMOUNT OF BOOZE — Over fourty quarts of whiskey were confiscated in the raid made Saturday and Sunday. The violators were arraigned this morning on the side porch of the Sheriff’s residence before Justices Danz and Berthelote and bound over to circuit court. Thirteen charged with being drunk that were also nabbed in the raids were arraigned at the same time and were given the usual sentences.

ROAD MATTERS — The Brewer Road located in Dundee Township which was recently completed has been accepted by the state highway department at Lansing and the county road commissioners. The state reward will now be paid on this road in full.

The Toledo or better known as the Puppy Hill road in Whiteford township is nearing completion. The commissioners have started the work of repairing the Petersburg road south of the town line in Whiteford Township. When this road is completed repairs will start on the Ida and Bedford road.

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QUARRY IN OPERATION — The Scofield company of Scofield have started operations and stone is being hauled for the quarry on Palmer Road in Exeter township. Work has started on the Oakville end of the road.

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BERRY GROWERS TO ORGANIZE — The berry growers of Erie held a meeting last night at Erie and formed a temporary organization in the interest of the berry growers of that section. Carl Dusseau was made temporary president. Another meeting will be held on June 29th when the organization will be made permanent.

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CUSTER MONUMENT DECORATED — Many complimentary remarks were heard today on the pleasing decorations of the Custer monument, which was appropriately hung with flags and flowers placed along the base, in honor of the Seventh Michigan Reunion held here today. The artistic appearance was due to the efforts of Officer Gus Marquardt and Alfred Wever of the fire department.

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ALIEN WOMEN BEGIN REGISTRATION HERE TODAY — The registration of Alien women, began today in Monroe. It will close Wednesday, June 26th. Chief of Police Frankhouse will conduct the registration in this city at the post office and registration will be made at each post office where patrons receive their mail.

All German women who have not been naturalized or who are the wives of German enemy aliens must be registered. American-born women who are the wives of unnaturalized German enemy aliens must also register.

Each registrant will be required to furnish four photographs which should be 3x3 inches on thin paper. The penalty for not registering is very severe.

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